Is the President’s Plan to Divide Jerusalem God’s Plan?

The N.Y. Times reports that President Obama has created his own diplomatic plan to rival the plan of Israeli P.M. Netanyahu. Obama's plan would split Jerusalem, giving the Eastern half to the Palestinians.

But herein lies the problem. The Eastern side of Jerusalem contains the Temple Mount, the area which has contained the two Jewish temples. In addition, the Bible tells us that another temple will be constructed. In fact, it will be built as a key component of the end-times treaty, the seven-year covenant with Israel that starts the clock ticking on the final seven years before the return of Christ.

When Daniel 9:27 announces this treaty, it also reveals that the breaking of the treaty—in the exact mid-point of this seven-year period—will bring "an end to offering and sacrifice". Because the breaking of the treaty brings an end to "offering and sacrifice," that can only mean that they are intricately tied to the treaty. Moreover, the Jews cannot make offerings and sacrifices without a temple (which is why Jews have not been able to have sacrifices since A.D. 70, the year the last temple was destroyed), which tells us that the rebuilding of the temple is a necessary part of the confirmation of the treaty.

Most likely, this temple will be built on the same spot where the first two were constructed—the temple mount. Certainly, any orthodox, or ultra-orthodox, Jew who backs the building of the temple would not give a thought of constructing it anywhere else. Furthermore, since the rebuilt temple is called "the temple of God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4), it, obviously means it will be built where the first (and the second) resided—with the holy of holies upon the very rock where the Jewish forefather, Abraham, offered up his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed. (This offering was directed by God; however, God stopped the sacrifice just before Abraham could follow through on it and provided a substitute—a ram—allowing his son to live. This substitute served as a precursor of the "Lamb of God," the Lord Jesus Christ, who became our substitute so that we could live [forever].) Since the significance of this place cannot be overstated, it is beyond belief to suggest the temple would be rebuilt on another spot.

Understanding this is key to understanding if the Obama plan will be realized. Since the Temple Mount is located in East Jerusalem, and since the Jews will be granted permission (as part of the end-times bible prophecy treaty) to rebuild the temple there, we can see from the Bible that East Jerusalem will never belong to the Palestinians. Thus, Israel will not relinquish that part of the city (nor any other) prior to the end-times treaty.

Because East Jerusalem as the capital city for the Palestinians is an indispensible part of the peace process to the Palestinian Authority, not getting it means the Palestinian leadership will not sign a treaty with Israel. But there are other reasons, as well. The PA will not even accept the right of Israel to exist, so how could a treaty be confirmed with a nation that has no right to exist? Furthermore, as a result of indoctrinating Palestinians from the crib that Jews have no right to live in the Middle East, the PA leadership has no backing for a treaty with Israel. In addition, to effect such a treaty, Hamas, the ruling party over the Palestinians in the Gaza strip, would have to be in agreement with a treaty with Israel; however, the Hamas charter calls for the elimination of the Jewish nation. Finally, the Palestinian leadership has announced they are not interested in negotiating a treaty with the Israeli leadership by forsaking negotiations and going to the U.N. Security Council with the hope the Council will make a resolution for a Palestinian state—without Israeli consent.

The importance of this is that it is another demonstration that East Jerusalem will remain in Israeli hands. After all, the only reason for giving away that part of the city would be for the purpose of completing a treaty with the PA. Thus, no treaty with the Palestinians, no giving up any part of Jerusalem.

Thus, it appears that God's plan for Jerusalem is different than that of the president.

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Verse of the Day

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. — Hebrews 10:30-31 (KJV)